Detachable automatic mail box signal



Jan. 10, 1956 R HASERODT 2,730,298

DETACHABLE AUTOMATIC MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed Jan. 21, 1955 INVENTOR. OSCAR PAUL HA-SEROOT ATT RNEYS United States Patent 2,730,298 DETAGHABLE AUTOMATIQ MAIL BOX SIGNAL Oscar Paul Haserodt, Elyria, Ohio Application January 21, 1953, Serial No. 332,306 6 Claims. (Cl. 232-35) to a signal device for use with adapted for use with rural type energy.

in the past various structures and systems have been devised to signal the box holder when mail is deposited within the mail box. However, in general, these devices have. required that the mailman manually set the signal device when delivering the mail. Other devices have been developed which automatically operate when the door of the mail box is opened. However, in most of these. devices it has been necessary to cut holes in the mail box for mounting purposes.

It is an important object of this invention an automatic signaling device which may be mounted on rural type mail boxes of the type in general use without the use of any special tools and without cutting or bending the mail box in any way.

it is another object of this invention to provide an automatic signaling device for use with normal rural type mail boxes which is automatically operated when the mail is deposited within the box and which may be easily reset.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a signal device incorporating the above advantages which may be manufactured without the use of elaboratev tools by low cost production methods.

The, foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a signal device according to this invention mounted on a mail box wherein the signal device indicates that mail has been deposited;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing the signal device prior to the depositing of the mail in the box; and,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the signal device showing the details of construction.

A rural. ype mail box of. the yp in. g n al e m- P Y g n ly hor zontal. body c ion h a r at one end hinged at its lower edge to the body. A strap type latch is usually mounted on the upper surface of the mail box body arranged to engage a corresponding strap latch on the upper face of the door. The body strap is usually mounted to the body at a point spaced from the end of the mail box body and this structure is utilized in the mounting of a signal device according to this invention.

The signal device according to this invention employs a base plate formed with a first ear adapted to to provide extend around the forward edge of the mail box and opposite the base plate.

Referring to the drawings, the mail box is formed with a body B and a door D hinged at its lower edge to the body B and arranged to close the end of the body. Along the upper surface of the body B a strap S is mounted by means of rivets R spaced from the end of the body to provide resilience of the strap S.

In a preferred embodiment of the signaling device a thin metal base plate 16 preferably formed of galvanized iron is mounted on the upper surface of the body 3 and is formed with a first ear 11 which is arranged to extend around the forward edge of the body B and engage the lower surface of the body directly below the base plate. A second ear 12 is formed on the forward end of the base plate 10 at substantially right angles to the first car 11 and is arranged to extend below the strap S adjacent to the end of the body B. The end 13 of the second ear 12 is bent around the strap S and arranged to engage the upper surface of the strap immediately above the main portion of the ear. In this way the base plate is mounted securely on the body of the mail box Without requiring any drilling or bolting. The ear 12 may be formed integrally with the base plate It) or may be formed of a separate strap of metal riveted to the base plate as shown in Fig. 3. The structure shown in Fig. 3 is preferred since it reduces the waste metal and permits the rotation of the ear 12 into alignment with the base plate to facilitate packaging.

A thin metal signal plate 14, preferably formed of galvanized iron, is hinged to the base plate at the rearward end thereof as at 16. In the preferred embodiment the hinge is formed by bending the two spaced projections 17 and 18 on the base plate to substantially right angles with the plane thereof and drilling holes through the projections. Similar projections 19 and 21 are formed on the signal plate 14 which are provided with similarly aligned holes. A hinge pin 22 projects through the holes in the projections of both the base plate and the signal plate thereby hinging the signal plate to the base plate.

A coil spring 23 is positioned on the hinge pin 22 with the hinge pin extending through the center of the coils and is provided with spring ends 24- and 26 which engage the base plate and the signal plate respectively. The

spring 23 is pre-loaded so as to urge the signal plate upward relative to the base plate. A stop surface 27 on the signal plate engages the base plate and prevents the signal plate from rotating beyond a position substantially perpendicular to the base plate. The signal plate is provided with a latch 28, arranged to extend to the end of the body B.

In a rural type mail box the door D flange 29 adapted to fit over the outside of the body B adjacent to the end thereof, and thereby prevent rain water from entering the body. To set the signaling device the signal plate 14 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 so that it rests substantially against the base plate with the latch 28 extending along the base plate to the end of the body. The door D is then closed and the flange 29 engages the upper surface of the latch and prevents the signal plate from assuming the upright position. When is formed with a the door D is opened to deposit the mail within the mail box the latch 28 is releasedby the flange 29 and the signal plate is moved to the upright position by the spring 23 at which time the stop surface 27 prevents any further rotation of the signal plate relative to the'base plate.

From the above description it is apparent that a signal device according to this invention may be easily mounted on a rural type mail box without the need of special tools and without making any alterations in the mail box itself. Since the first ear on the base plate is perpendicular to the second ear the base plate is securely mounted and will not come loose in normal use. The structure of the signal device itself is extremely simple and requires a minimum of machinery to manufacture and has the advantage of simplicity and low cost as a result.

In the preferred embodiment the signal plate will normally be painted a bright color so it may be seen from a distance.

Having completed a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention so that Others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is not limited by said preferred embodiment but rather is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A signal device for use with a mail box of the type provided with a body, a hinged door for closing the front of said body and a strap member extending to the end of the body on the upper side thereof wherein said strap is attached to said body at a point spaced from the end of said body, said device comprising a base plate positioned along the upper side of said body adjacent to said strap formed with a first ear extending around the front edge of the body engaging the inner surface of the upper side and a second ear engaging one side of said strap adjacent to the end of said body, the end of said second ear extending back toward said base plate engaging the other surface of said strap, a signal plate hinged to said base plate at the rear end thereof and formed with a latch proportioned to extend between said body and said door when said door is closed, and a spring means between said base plate and signal plate urging said signal plate to substantially right angles with said base plate when said door is opened.

2. A signal device for use with a mail box of the type provided with a body, a hinged door for closing the front end of said body and a strap member extending to the end of the body on the upper side thereof wherein said strap is attached to said body at a point spaced from the end of said body, said device comprising a base plate positioned along the upper side of said body adjacent to said strap formed with a first ear extending around the front edge of the body engaging the inner surface of the upper side and a second ear extending beneath said strap adjacent to the end of said body, the end of said second car extending back toward and said base plate engaging the upper surface of said strap, a signal plate hinged to said base plate at the rear end thereof and formed with a latch proportioned to extend between said body and said door when said door is closed, and a spring means between said base plate and signal plate urging said signal plate to substantially right angles with said base plate.

3. A signal device for use with a mail box of the type provided with a body, a hinged door for closing the front end of said body and a strap member extending to the end of the body on the upper side thereof wherein said strap is attached to said body at a point spaced from the end of said body, said device comprising a base plate positioned along the upper side of said body adjacent to said strap formed with a first ear extending around the front edge of the body engaging the inner surface of said upper side, a second ear riveted to said base plate extending beneath said strap adjacent to the end of said body, the end of said second car extending back toward said base plate engaging the upper surface of said strap, a signal plate hinged to said base plate at the rear end thereof and formed with a latch proportioned to extend between said body and said door when said door is closed, and a spring means between said base plate and signal plate urging said signal plate to substantially right angles with said base plate.

4. In a mail box comprising a hollow body having an open end portion, a door hinged to the body to close the open end portion, and a strap member secured to the body and extending therefrom to engage a part of the door and hold it in closed position, the combination of automatic signal means to indicate the opening of the door comprising a base plate bearing against the outside of the body and having a first ear extending into and gripping the body and a second ear gripping the strap, a signal plate hinged to the base plate and having a latch portion to be received between the body and the door, and spring means between the base plate and the signal plate and bearing against said signal plate at a point remote from the latch portion to move the signal plate relative to the base plate on the hinge when the door is disengaged from the latch portion.

5. A signal device for use with a mail box comprising a substantially rectangular base plate formed with a first ear extending from one end thereof and back beneath said base plate, and a second ear projecting from one side of said base plate adjacent to said one end, the end of said second ear extending back toward said base plate; a signal plate hinged to said base plate at the other end thereof and formed with a projection on the end of the signal plate opposite the hinge, and spring means between said base plate and signal plate urging said signal plate to substantially right angles with said base plate.

6. A signal device for use with a mail box of the type provided with a body, a hinged door for closing the front end of said body and a strap member extending to the front end of the body on the upper side thereof wherein the strap is attached to the body at a point spaced from the front end of said body, said device comprising a base plate positioned along the upper side of said body adjacent to said strap and formed with a first ear extending along the front edge of the body and engaging the inner surface of the upper side and a second car extending laterally from one side of said base plate and engaging one side of said strap adjacent to the end of said body, the end of second car extending back toward the said base plate and engaging the other side of said strap, a signal member movably carried by the base plate, and means connected to the signal member resiliently urging the said signal member into signalling position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Young Oct. 4, 1949 Bishop May 15, 1951 

